Winter

Winter

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Adventures in Beekeeping


This is how my bees look when it is hot in the afternoon.
It was really hot late in the afternoon and I have never
saw them quite like this before. They get really grumpy
when it is hot so I was afraid to get a closer shot.

I try to to keep water with them and they needed water
but I decided to wait until early morning when they aren't so
grumpy.
I had been picking tomatoes and I was wearing a black shirt,
I tell you this because bees like clean, and they don't like black.
I grabbed the jar and started to the hose to fill it.
My husband was down at the shed and Sasha the dog, ran to him
to say "hi" she then ran full speed to where I was walking with the
jar that was covered in bees. She jumped up on me to say "hi" like
she had been gone hours and knocked the jar out of my hand.

My grumpy, moody bees, decided that I did that on purpose and
attacked me. I started running trying to get away but they got in
my hair, they got in my shirt they were all over me.
I was trying to get them out of my hair and trying to run all at the
same time. I think I was screaming too, because my husband came running.

I started crying because I could feel where a bee had stung me at the base
of my skull and last time that happened I got so sick, and really, I have too much
work to do right now to get sick. I could feel the poison traveling up the back of
my head.

I ran in my husbands shed and took off my shirt and the bee that was in my shirt
was loose in there, my hand was already swelling where I got stung.
I went in the house and took Benadryl, which made me upset too, because
I really wanted to work today. It makes me so sleepy.

I went back outside with my hula-hoe because I could still work. As I walked
by where this little bee episode happened, there was a bee waiting for me,
it attacked as soon as I walked up. I wasn't even near the hive. I had to run
away again. I ended up going through the back yard to the garden just so
I wouldn't be close to the hive.

I have a knot on the back of my head about the size of a golf ball. It feels weird
when I rub or touch it not thinking. My finger is only slightly bigger than normal.
it still doesn't bend right.

I told the bees, I am going to come out, and I am going to rob them and I am
going to move all of the frames around so they have to work harder to get
more honey, and then they won't have time to be so grumpy.

I have now been stung more this year than in my entire life. My Mom was
a bee keeper and I used to help her. I lived around bees, I have never
seen bees as aggressive as mine.

Yeah, I don't care if you silly bees are hot.
Have a great Saturday!

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, for His wonderful works to the children of men!

(Psalm. 107:6)

6 comments:

Kessie said...

Oh no! That's terrible! Now you'll be in bed for days! Hey, you'll get to read a lot of Harry Potter.

Next time lock up Sasha before you play with bees.

mariel said...

you poor thing!! I am not a fan of bees for exactly this reason...but I must say, I too get grumpy and start "stinging" when it gets too hot!!

hope you feel better soon! (and I hope you teach those bees a lesson!)

Meg said...

Oh my goodness! I hope you are feeling better soon. You're so brave. I would have gotten rid of the bees after the first sting.

Anonymous said...

Gee whizz -- I could just feel their -- sword on you -- grr -- wink! Hope you heal fast - shame on those bees - they should know by now you are their friend..

myletterstoemily said...

oh, that made me sick to my stomach.
i can't imagine how terrifying that
must have been for you or how
painful.

take ALL their honey, honey!

hope you feel better soon.

Jacque. said...

ohwow...that sounds like a horrible experience! You poor thing! Hope you're doing better.